Sleepless Nights
by AnnaTorvSmiles
Summary: Set after Novation. Olivia agrees to allow Peter to crash on her couch instead of being shut up in the facility and she slowly but surely opens up to his devoted love and realizes just all that she's missed.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry Peter... I just don't know who you are at all... All the other cases have been connected in some way but this one-"

"Wait, you think this is some Fringe event?" he asked with disdain.

"Well yea. Of course." she replied. "What would you call it?"

Peter closed his eyes. "Olivia... I am here. I'm still a part of you. I- I don't know how it happened. I got in the machine and it was 15 years later."

She gave him an odd look.

"I'm not making this up. I know it must sound crazy but in the future the other side had been destroyed. And- and Walter was in Prison! Broyles was a senator and Ella- Ella was a junior fringe agent!"

Olivia recoiled. "Why would you say that? How do you know about my niece?"

"Because Livia don't you see! I know you. And somewhere deep down you know me too."

Olivia sat down at the table across from him. she stared into her cup of coffee and let the mug warm her hands. She could feel his pleading eyes watching intensely. "Tell me more about the future..." she murmured and raised her eyes without moving her slightly bowed head.

He smiled. "Well for one we were still together..."

She looked up curiously.

He laughed slightly. "To be precise we were... Well we were married..." Peter tried to reach a hand to hers but Olivia gripped her coffee mug tighter and pulled it closer to her, away from him.

He frowned and let his hand just rest in the center of the table. "And something happened..." He swallowed just thinking about it.

She saw his change in demeanor and waited for more. When it didn't come she asked softly, "Peter?"

he looked up and she saw terror in his eyes. "He took you from me..." he whispered. Suddenly he violently tore himself from his chair, knocking it over. Olivia got up from hers in alarm. Peter stomped to the other side of the kitchen. He banged a hand against the counter.

Olivia waited patiently before she went to him and gently touched his shoulder. "Who?"

He turned to look at her, he was calm again; his eyes soft once more and making her feel exposed but unafraid.

"My father." he whispered. "My real father."

Olivia shrank. She hated that man more than her own doppelganger.

Peter turned completely around to face her. He took her face in his hands and in the back of his mind he registered that she didn't recoil from his touch. "I lost you... I wasn't there to save you..." He whispered.

She shook her head. "I-" she stuttered feeling somewhat lost right now.

his hands dropped. "You don't understand Liv... I set fire to your coffin... before pushing it out to sea..." it wasn't until then that she realized he had been talking about her own death. This frightened her yet intrigued her at the same time. "I can't lose you again. Not after all we've been through... I didn't want to spend the rest of my life without you... If our world was going to collapse we were going to spend every minute together, fighting until the end... And then Walter said he had a way to send me back. Back to this time. And then suddenly I was here and then- Well I don't know. the next thing I really remember is the lake. And now no one knows who the hell I am. I can't sleep and even if I do close my eyes all I see is you. And I can't take it that things are different. That no one remembers."

She hung her head and laughed slightly. "I just don't know..."

"you do Liv. I know you do. Somewhere inside you you remember me. I'm not crazy. At all. I just... I just want things the way they were..." He leaned in to whisper, "Right before I stepped into machine you said... You said that you loved me."

She glared at him, a heat flashing within her that she couldn't explain. Her face and neck turned a light pink.

"I wanted to say I loved you too..." Peter tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in close... and to her surprise he only kissed her forehead. A confusing mix of relief and yet utter disappointment waged war with in her.

"I miss you Livy... My Olivia..." He told her, burying his face in her hair. He breathed her in and was comforted in the familiarity.

It broke his heart though to feel her cold, cautious, rigid demeanor while he tried to hold her in his arms. He had her back but she was still lost. He would make her remember. At all costs he would not stop until her had her back.

* * *

><p>"Don't send me back to that room at the facility..." He told her with a smile.<p>

Olivia looked at him. "Uh..."

"Just set me up with a hotel room. I can't go back there."

"Peter I can't do that..."

"Then let me stay here! Please. You can trust me... You know that." he urged with his persuasive smile.

She crossed her arms. "No. I DON'T know that."

"'Livia Please. I'll just crash on the couch." he pleaded.

She frowned and stood her ground. But Peter stared at her with those eyes... she shook her head, "But if you try anything at all-"

"I know I know. You'll be sleeping with your gun under your pillow." He said rolling his eyes.

Olivia grimaced. "You've gotta stop doing that."

He got up from the couch and went to her kitchen. "I told you Liv. I know you. And you know me."

She frowned again and went to her room. She was irritated though when she had to go into the bathroom just to change clothes. She didn't like people in her apartment. It made her uneasy. This was her safe house and she didn't feel comfortable knowing that tonight while she slept there was a man laying on her couch who knew everything last detail about her.

"You hungry?" He called from the other room.

What? Grumbling to herself she flicked off the bathroom light and went to investigate what he was doing.

"I'm making toast. You want some?" he asked without turning around as he opened the second cabinet for a plate. Peter already had the bread out and her toaster plugged in.

"How-?"

"How do I know where everything is?" He laughed as he slid the bread into the slots. "Are you starting to believe me yet?" Peter turned around with a grin. His eyes fell to her her chest though and his smile diminished.

"Your shirt..."

She frowned glancing down at the red letters. "what about it?"

He shook his head. "MIT?"

"Yea. Why you didn't know that I went there?" She said mockingly.

"No actually I didn't. It's just... Before it was Northwestern..." he said softly.

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and shrank into herself. She hated that he was staring.

"I uh-..." he struggled. "Sorry it's just... I don't know." Suddenly the bread popped up. Peter replaced his frown for his smile. "Sure you don't want some toast?"

Olivia was the one staring now. something felt off about this...


	2. Chapter 2

Peter laid awake through much of the night. He stared at the ceiling and picked shapes out of the shadows. He shifted to lay his head at the other end of the couch, her room within his view. He stared, willing in his mind that magically overnight she would remember him. When he gave up on that he flopped over onto his stomach and played with the fringe on one of her throw pillows he had tossed to the floor. He wanted to sleep. But his mind wouldn't rest.

His mess of muddled thoughts was interrupted by a soft murmur from the other room. Peter opened his eyes and listened hard.

"No." it was a bit louder this time. Olivia... He sat up and waited again. When he heard her softly cry out the third time he got up. Peter went to her door and looked in through the pane window. She lay crumpled, tangled in her covers. Her face was twisted in an expression of pain. Seeing her like that hurt. Peter continued to watch for a few moments, his forehead against her door, soon his eyes started to close.

"Stop!" Olivia cried. Peter shook himself and without thinking opened her door. She didn't wake. He crept to her side and knelt on the floor. Gently he reached out a hand and brushed the hair from her eyes. Olivia turned her head towards him. Peter froze before he noticed her face had softened.

He sat by her side for a long time. When she would stir in her nightmares again he would stroke her hair, soothing her pain. He wanted to wake her like he used to. To save her from what haunted her most. She'd be trembling but Peter would pull her close, kiss her forehead and tell her she was going to be fine.

"My Olivia..." he whispered softly. "What do I do? How can I make you remember?"

The next thing he knew Olivia was wide awake with her gun trained on him. "Don't move."

"'Livia relax!"

"Dammit don't-don't call me that!" She hated hearing the nickname come from his mouth. No one had ever called her that and she hated how much she liked it, considering the man it came from.

He nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry Olivia... Honestly I swear I just wanted to make sure you were okay... You were having a nightmare again! and judging by the look on your face and the way you cried out it was the one with your step father..."

"Get out."

"Olivia..."

"Get. Out. Despite what you might think I don't know you and never have. We've never been together. I don't understand how you have so much information about me and my life and my job but I know damn sure you aren't Walter's dead son and that you don't belong with me. Get out of my apartment.

* * *

><p>Peter left and unsure of where to go he settled into sitting on the stairs that led to the ground floor. No one ever used them any more except Liv herself. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the rail. An hour went by.<p>

He was exhausted still and sleep was all too far off. "Oh thank god!" he heard her exclaim behind him. "You didn't take off..." Olivia said in astonishment.

Peter didn't open his eyes. "Well I knew if you lost track of me Broyles and Nina would have flipped. Which I assume you realized that too and that's why you came; to hunt me down."

Olivia sighed deeply and sat next to him on the top step. The stairs were narrow and she had to sit rather close. He sensed her there, his entire body raging with fire, but pretended not to care.

"Actually Peter... I wanted to say I'm sorry for freaking out... It's just one moment I'm 7 years old and running for my life out the back door and the next moment I'm opening my eyes to a semi-comatose man with his hand on my head." Liv nudged him and he smiled weakly.

"And to be honest... you terrify me..."

Peter turned to look at her in concern.

She smiled reassuringly. "I'm not worried that you're going to hurt me... I'm just scared that you're actually telling the truth. And what could possibly make forget the man I loved? I just don't understand still..." She told him.

Peter didn't move an inch.

"But I dreamt about you. I still do... On the nights that aren't haunted by ridiculous cases or flashbacks of the past, you're there." she whispered. "You make me feel safe to go to sleep."

"What is it that you dream about... With me?"

She shook her head. "Thats just it. I don't know. All it is is your face alone... but when I wake up... I don't know. There's the rush off comfort. But as soon as the longing sets in, it hurts."

Peter smiled and rested his head on her shoulder. "It's a start Olivia." he murmured.

She sat there awkwardly for a second before she put an arm around him timidly.

Peter melted inside. But exhaustion was ultimately wearing him down and in matter of seconds Peter had fallen asleep with his head on her shoulder.

Olivia was still. She felt strange having him so close. But to her surprise it didn't make her uneasy.

Whether she liked it or not Peter had cut through all her defenses and had sunk his teeth in her heart.


	3. Chapter 3

"Olivia." a sweet voice called, stirring her from her dreams. Liv smiled inwardly and went to burry her face in her pillow. She smashed her nose against metal though and with an irritated groan, opened her eyes. Blinking back sleepiness, she accessed her surroundings. She was sitting in the stair well. It was early morning, she could tell because the orange and yellow of the sun shined through the small window at the end of the hall. Olivia realized Peter was watching her patiently, wearing that unbearably charismatic grin of his, he held her hand in his. She stared down at it. He noticed this and just as he was about to pull away she gripped it tight in hers to stop him, letting him know it was okay.

The moment lasted only a few seconds but neither Peter nor Olivia took it for granted. Taking back her hand, Liv raked it through her blonde hair and yawned. "ugh I feel like shit." she remarked.

Peter grinned. "That was the first time in days I was actually able to sleep for real. Thank you Liv."

* * *

><p>Olivia laid awake. She could no longer deny that when she was around Peter she felt safe and that undeniable feeling of loneliness seemed to fade away almost completely. She hated herself for wanting someone's company so desperately but she couldn't fight it any longer.<p>

"Peter?" she took a feeble chance and called out in the dark. "Are you still awake?"

After what seemed like an eternity he appeared in her doorway, a look of concern upon his face. Instantly her heart fluttered and her pain had begun to ebb. "Hey." He whispered sweetly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hi." Olivia gave him a weak guilty smile. "I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

Liv twisted her blankets in her hands. "Will you... Um... Come lay with me?"

He looked shocked and at the same time blissful. "Are you sure?"

Olivia nodded and felt her face grow hot. Without further inquiry, Peter went to her other side. He lifted up the comforter and gently slipped into bed next to her.

Laying by her side he felt whole. There was that balance once more and he felt like things were how they should be.

She couldn't deny she felt the same. Olivia turned to the side to look at him. Her hands tucked under her cheek. They were laying far apart on the bed but she could still feel the electricity sizzle with in her.

"Peter." she mused.

He smiled cautiously. His hand was itching to snake around her waist and cuddle her close to him.

For a brief moment her foot brushed his leg under the covers before she pulled away in surprise. In the darkness he knew she was blushing. "Sorry."

Peter chuckled. "For what?"

"I didn't mean to." she flustered.

He smiled and under the covers moved his feet to intentionally touch hers. "Why is this wrong?" He wondered aloud to her.

There was a long unbearable silence. Until, "It's not..." she whispered softly, trembling and barely loud enough to hear.

Peter heard her clear as day. Slowly he crossed the distance between them, his finger tips hovered over her cheek, pausing to give her the opportunity stop him. Olivia closed her eyes as he tucked her loose strands of golden hair behind her ear and let his fingers lingered upon her face. She sighed and reached a hand up to hold his wrist. Olivia turned her face into his palm and breathed in deeply.

"Peter." she murmured.

His hand tucked her hair again and glided down her neck, down her shoulder and rested on her upper arm.

Olivia inched herself towards him, closing the gap between them considerably. Peter's thumb drew circles on her arm.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in a heart breaking voice.

Alert, Peter moved to retract his hand from touching her. What was he doing? He admonished himself. Laying in bed with her like 'old times'. This was wrong.

Instead of Olivia kicking him out, however, she closed those last few inches between them, curling herself against him. She brushed her nose against his and Peter felt his body alight. He draped an arm around her tightly.

"Peter I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." she whispered again.

"Liv stop. Why are you saying that?"

As their cheeks brushed he was alarmed by the wetness upon hers. Olivia was crying.

He opened his mouth to continue but she interrupted him.

"I'm sorry I don't remember... I'm trying. I'm trying so hard. But there's just so many holes and... And I don't know how to fix it... And on top of it I just feel like shit for putting you through this." she gushed.

"Olivia—"

"Don't. I know you're going to say I shouldn't worry about you. That you're fine. But I do worry. I worry because I really do care about you. Maybe not to the extent I should just yet but you really do matter to me. I don't want to hurt you." she continued.

Peter's arm tightened around her, holding her close.

Taking him by surprise, Olivia caught his lips in hers in a feeble but urgent kiss.

"I don't want to forget again." She breathed into him. "Don't let me."

He promised he wouldn't.


End file.
